DE2335137A1 - COLLECTION AND RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR OELLACHEN - Google Patents

Description

PATENT LAWYERS ^ "

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8 MUNICH 22 WIDEN MAYERSTRASSE 49 1 B ERLI N-DAHLEM 33 PODBIELSKIALLEE 68

BERLIN: DIPL.-ING. R. MÜLLER-BORNER 25 392 MUNICH: DIPL.-ING. HANS-H. WEY

Berlin, July 6, 1973 Ocean Systems, Inc.

Collection and recovery system for oil pools

The present invention relates to a system against pollution for Collecting and recovering an immiscible, low density liquid such as B. oil, higher from the surface of a body of liquid Density, such as B. water, and in particular a device with a basin with an elastic plate floor. This pool becomes floating worn so that its rear end is held above the surface of the water with a first overflow attached to the front of the pool and carried floating. This overflow has overflow openings for Flow of liquid, from the upper layer of the body of water into the Basin and oil stripper for drawing oil from the basin.

Oil spilled in pools is difficult to remove from the surface of the sea because it not only spreads quickly, but over time due to it is subject to changes due to evaporation and emulsification, through which the oil becomes more and more dense over time and is therefore more and more difficult to catch. The weathering of the oil depends on the conditions of the surrounding The lake, the temperature and the type of oil. Hence the need to remove oil from an oil pollution, in order to be effective, happen quickly. From the ecological

309884/0623

BERLIN: TELEPHONE (O311) 76 39 07 MUNICH: TELEPHONE (O8 11) 33 58 89

CABLE: PROPINDUS TELEX OI 84O57 CABLE: PROPINDUS TELEX OS 34 244

From a chemical point of view, it is only the rapid removal of the oil from the surface of the sea required. All previous systems in this regard have this is also the fundamental goal. Although the removed liquid mixture of oil and water can be passed through a separator to remove the oil recover as a usable product, it is not economically practical to proceed in this way. Hence, a system that is ecological is much more desirable Meets requirements while significantly separating the oil from the water.

The device according to the invention achieves substantial separation the oil from the water before the oil is discharged for discharge to a containment station or an escort ship and is highly concordant with the wave motion, so that the oil loss is as minimal as possible. The separated oil is in a substantially regenerated state with a measured purity of an average of 95%, which depends on the purity before leakage, and can even be over 99% in some cases.

For this purpose, according to the invention, a device of the type identified at the outset is used proposed using a variety of solid overflow plates running along the first overflow are attached and are held by separate overflow plate floats, each overflow plate has an overflow opening and the overflow plates are held at a distance from one another along the first overflow and are connected to one another by elastic plates, whereby the first overflow is adaptable to the wave movement in the body of water.

Further developments of the invention can also be designed such that the rear side of the pool is carried by separate subordinate floats, which are spaced along the back of the pool and are connected to each other by elastic plates; that stiffeners are attached between the first overflow and the downstream float, the Distance between these is maintainedj that a large number of subordinate Overflows attached to the downstream floats, each downstream Overflow a pouring opening below its connected to it

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which has downstream float, removing fluid from the upper one The liquid layer in the basin passes into an oil drain without air entrainment; that overflow plates are attached to elongated overflow plate floats at an angle that they are fixed with their lower sides aft of their upper sides float, whereby - as the device moves over the body of water - a compression of the oil in front of the overflow plate and a reduced pressure is created under the basin; that a perforation of the pelvic floor is provided is whereby the water is diverted from the basin in a low pressure area; that a pull line forward from the first overflow is tensioned, and that a plurality of reins extend between the pulling line and the first overflow, whereby the first overflow over the body of water can be towed with the preponderance of transmitted through the pull line Towing forces * that reins are dimensioned along their length so that the first overflow is pulled apart along a parabolic line; that one A plurality of separate floats are provided along the first overflow as an intermediate part to the overflow plates and connected to them by elastic plates is; that the floats consist of semi-elastic, closed cell foam which is covered with an elastomeric outer layer; that rigid stiffening plates are attached to the intermediate floats and at the front end of the pool, with the stiffening plates extending from the intermediate floats extend downward to maintain the pool in the water at a predetermined depth.

Other advantages of the present invention are set forth below with reference to the drawings illustrated embodiments further explained.

Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the system of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the main features of the operation of the

System according to Fig. 1,
3 shows an enlarged schematic representation of part of a variant of the system according to FIG. 1 with a higher capacity,

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Figure 4 is a cross section of the oil sump of the present invention

along the line 4-4 in Figs. 3 and
5 shows a perspective view of a first overflow section according to FIGS. 1 and 3.

The oil collection and recovery system according to the present invention consists essentially of an oil catchment basin that can be dragged along the surface of a body of water on which a liquid is held with a lower density, e.g. oil, has been spilled, with a large number of first overflows through which the oil should flow and a multitude downstream overflows through which the collected oil is drained as well as means for collecting the diverted oil and forwarding it to a collecting station or an escort ship.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the entire system of the present invention. A part of an embodiment of FIG. 1 with a higher capacity is shown enlarged in FIG. 3. Fig. 5 shows in particular the preferred production of the first overflow sections of Figs. 1 and 3 and contributes to the visualization and better understanding of the construction of the entire system for the reader at.

The system 10 according to FIG. 1 can each in the directions with the aid of ropes 12, 12 be towed according to the arrows. On each rope 12 there is a spring 13 which gives the system the necessary leeway to oscillate in the waves. A plurality of first overflow sections connected in series to one another constitute the front part of the system 10 and are each connected to the ropes 12, 12 connected by end floats 16, 16. Each first overflow section 14 includes two floating elements 18, 18, between which the first overflow opening is, as shown in more detail in FIG. Separate floating spacers 22,22 the first overflow sections ^ from each other.

The rear end of the system consists of series connected downstream overflow float 25, which at their respective ends with

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the ends of the first overflow sections 14 by common end floats, respectively 16, 16 are connected. The downstream overflow sections 25 are symmetrical arranged around a central floating member 26. An oil suction connection is on each downstream overflow section 25 and on two ordinary lines 30, 30 attached, from which the extracted oil is passed through the lines 32, 32 into an ordinary suction line 34. As an alternative, a single line 30 can be used, and the floating member 26 can additionally represent another overflow.

An elastic plate 36 connects the first overflow sections 14 with the downstream ones Overflow sections 25 and thus forms the interior of the collecting basin, the plate 36 being the bottom of the basin. The space between the first and the downstream overflows is kept relatively constant by stiffeners 38, which the floating intermediate pieces 22 with alternating downstream Connect overflow sections η 25.

The pelvic floor 36 is made of a material that, in terms of its strength, Elasticity and compatibility with salt water and crude oil has been selected. A preferred oil-resistant material that meets the above conditions, consists of fiber-reinforced layers of nylon, reinforced plastic, natural rubber, Nylon reinforced vinyl and urethane.

A plurality of openings 40 in the form of rectangular slots are provided in the pool floor 36, which are preferably located in an area with lower pressure approximately 76.2 mm behind the center line of the floor. The openings 40 act as passive water suction slots, ie no pumping is required to draw water from the interior of the basin during oil recovery, which is described in more detail below in connection with the function of the system.

To give the system a parabolic shape that is in a flow anyway

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would be taken; are all front floating elements by reins 42 connected to an outer pull line 44, which is intended to absorb loads exerted on the system by waves and currents. This preform in parabolic shape reduces stress and allows all reins 42 are tense and bear by and large the same load, which stabilizes the system and increases its effectiveness. The hydrodynamic load and the external load is transferred to the outer pull line 44 through the reins 42 or by the end floats 16, 16, which are also connected to the pull line 44. The outer pull line 44, however, is on its opposite one Ends connected to each rope 42 and is preferably made of synthetic rope such as. B. polypropylene or nylon and / or Dacron.

The details of the construction of each first overflow section 14 are shown in FIG Add 5 shown. The first overflow opening 20, due to which oil in the basin runs, is partly above and partly below the approximate specified Water line 45 at the first overflow elements 22. An angled overflow plate 50 extends below the overflow opening 20. The overflow plate 50 is held firmly and in the desired direction by the overflow floating elements 22 with regard to the vertical axis of the system at between 0 and 75, preferably at 45 of the normal, with the help of further reins 42 (Fig. 4), which are also connected to the pull line 44. The angled overflow plate 50 extends a predetermined vertical distance of approximately 610 mm below the surface of the water to prevent oil from flowing under the overflow. A flexible skirt, preferably made of the same material as the plate 36 forming the bottom, connects the first overflow sections 14 to one another and with the floating connectors 22. The skirt 52 is below the floating connectors stiffened by plates 54 so that excessive skirt bending is avoided. The skirt 52 prevents the oil from getting under the system between to run through the overflows and also extends above the system to to act as a windbreaker and splash guard. A rigid splash guard plate 56 is direct placed above each overflow opening 20 to prevent oil and water from splashing into the basin via the overflow. The angled overflow plate 50,

The splash protection plate 56 and the apron stiffening plates 54 can be made from lightweight thermoplastic or fiber-reinforced thermosetting plastic such as polyvinyl chloride.

Each downstream overflow section 25 (FIG. 4) comprises a downstream one Overflow floating element 60 and a drain trough 62 in the form of a "U" -shaped channel located inside the basin. The opening 64 of the trough 62 is located below the float 25, close to the surface of the pool, i.e. near the water level. A drain opening 66 inside the trough is with the oil suction connection 28 to direct the oil from inside the basin as described below. A mesh screen can be placed over the trough opening be pulled to prevent sludge from flowing out with the oil. A splash guard 68 can be used to prevent oil from leaving the system splashes. The splash guard 68 can be connected to the splash guard of any other downstream overflow section 25 constructed in a similar manner and similar to the splash guards of the first overflow section 14. The drain trough and the splash guard 68 can be built as a unit, as shown in Fig. 4, the splash guard 68 extending through the floating element 60 extends and is connected to it.

All floating elements 18, 22 and 60 each consist of semi-elastic closed Zeil polyethylene foam with an outer oil and abrasion resistant Urethane elastomer coating. The floating elements can also be made of vacuum formed vinyl or ABS sheets with a rigid foam core consist of or a combination of the above materials. The floating elements are preferably all rather. Compositions of separate foam sections, which are connected to one another as one-piece foam members. The shape and size of the floating elements are designed so that the following requirements to be fulfilled:

a) turn off the moment on every first overflow, which is due to the Tensile force on the overflow plates occurs when they are dragged;

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b) to prevent the overflows from submerging when towed will;

c) to compensate for the effect of the negative velocity pressures; and

d) Provide the correct water level area to the desired natural Maintain the period of swelling.

The operation of the system can be seen in FIG. The entire System 10 of Fig. 1 is dragged by a silt 70 of a low density liquid, hereinafter called oil, the above floats on a liquid of higher density, hereinafter referred to as water. The relative movement between the oil and the first overflow sections 14 causes a stratification or thickening of the oil just before each first overflow plate 50. This thickening is at a high level without maintain local dilution by angled the first overflow plate 50 from the area where the oil will be stratified. The oil 70 flows through the overflow openings 20 connected through the first overflow floating members 18 and the upper surface of the first overflow plate 50. Forward movement of the system 10 as well as the stratification effect of the silt cause a dynamic dynamic pressure builds up. This dynamic pressure causes the oil to flow through the first overflow openings 20 into the catch basin 36. In the catch basin 36, the oil continues to thicken due to the reduced pressure under the streamlined pool floor 36. The decreased pressure under the Basin is caused by the increased speed under the basin according to the Bernoulli principle. The oil overflows from this thick puddle of oil the downstream overflow 62, through the drain opening 66 and the suction connection 28 into line 30 and is then sucked off through line 34 with the aid of pumps (not shown). Since the overflow 62 below the float 25 there is no free surface in the oil above the overflow. This will prevents air from entering the withdrawn oil when the device is at rough seas is used. Since the oil inside the basin falls relatively deep

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and a reasonable stay in the pool is provided so the water can settle, little or no water flows through the trough 62, and the system function is relatively little influenced by waves. the Remaining time is determined by the volume of the liquid in the basin divided by the flow rate of the liquid flowing out of the basin. Execution of the higher capacity system, partially shown in Fig. 3, is designed for an average volume of about 13,250 liters and a flow rate of about 7.5701 / min and as such has a residence time of about 1 3/4 min.

Any water that flows through the first overflow openings 20 will settle the bottom of the pelvis due to the gravity and is sucked off from the pelvic floor through the openings 40. The oil settles on the due to gravity Surface and is deducted via the next-level overflow. The level of the oil-water boundary layer in the basin is achieved by the pressure that is applied to the The pool floor acts and water is drained to such an extent that this level is maintained. This way no oil will flow out of the Slots 40. In addition to the passive suction of the water, the slots serve to equalize the pressure inside and outside the basin and thereby to prevent the overflow from submerging at increased speed. About that in addition, the slots 40 prevent large membrane stresses from building up in the pool floor. The slots 40 also facilitate deployment and retrieving the system, as the water inside the pool can flow out freely.

The use of separate floating elements, which are secured by elastic aprons are connected, the device adapts to a high degree of the wave movement so that oil neither overturns nor flows under the barriers that are passed by the first overflow or the downstream floats are formed, which hold the rear edge of the pool.

The effectiveness in swell is also improved due to the fact that the floating elements of the first overflow partially serve as a breakwater for incoming waves and prevent the oil-water layer in the pool

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is significantly influenced. This, combined with the low flow velocities in the basin and the relatively long settling time of the oil-water mixture in the basin results in a greater recovery capacity.

It will be understood that the system 10 described herein is using concurrently can be done with conventional oil barriers that can be inserted between the ropes 12 and the floating elements 16 if required is to supply oil to the system.

Patent claims :

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Claims (11)

Claims 1. i Device for collecting an unmixed liquid such as on a body of water spread oil with a basin with elastic Slab floor that is held by swimming to keep its rear end above the waterline, a first through Float held overflow at the front edge of this basin, the first overflow being overflow openings to allow liquid to flow through of the upper layer of the body of water into the basin, and oil withdrawal means to withdraw the oil from this basin by a plurality of fixed overflow plates (50) attached along the first overflow (14) and by separate overflow plate floats (18) are held, each overflow plate having an overflow opening (20) and the overflow plates at a distance from one another held along the first overflow and connected to each other by elastic plates, causing the first overflow to wave motion is adjustable in the water. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear side of the pool is supported by separate downstream floats (25) which run along the rear side of the Basin spaced apart and connected by movable plates (35). 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that Stiffeners (38) between the first overflow (14) and the downstream floats (25) are attached to the distance between them maintain. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the oil withdrawal contains a large number of downstream overflows (25) which a » 3 0 9884/0623 " ¹² ~ the downstream floats (60) are attached, each downstream Overflow has a drain opening (64) below its connected downstream float, whereby liquid from the upper liquid layer in the basin can be directed to an oil drain (66) without air entrainment. 5. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the overflow plate float (22) is extended and the overflow plates (50) are attached to the floats at an angle so that they float stably with their lower edges behind their upper edges, whereby during the movement of the device over the body of water, a thickening of the oil in front of the overflow plate and a reduced pressure under the basin be created. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the bottom (36) of the basin has a perforation (40) through which water is drained from the basin in a low pressure area. 7. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a pull cord (44) is braced forward from the first overflow (14) and that a plurality of reins (42) extend between the pull line and the first overflow, whereby the first overflow is above the body of water can be towed with a predominance of towing forces transmitted by the pull line. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the reins (42) are dimensioned in their length so that the first overflow (14) is pulled apart along a parabolic line. 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first overflow (14) a plurality of separate floats (18) as an intermediate part to the overflow plates (50) and with these through flexible plates (54) is connected. -13- 3 0 9 8 J 4/0 6 2 3 - Ιο ™ 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that that the float (18) made of semi-elastic closed cell foam consist, which is covered with an elastomeric layer. 11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the intermediate floats (22) have rigid stiffening plates (50) attached to them and to the front end of the pool, wherein the stiffening plates extend from the intermediate floats (22) down to the pool floor (36) in a predetermined Keeping depth in the water. Se - 25 392 30986 ^ / 0623 Blank page